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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25358335">The Stars Shine For You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/neowise/pseuds/neowise'>neowise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Actors, M/M, Strangers to Lovers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:14:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25358335</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/neowise/pseuds/neowise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lee Jeno is determined to be on top of his field. His career -- it's everything that he has. But there was a plot twist he was not ready for, and that is Na Jaemin.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/sciences/gifts">sciences</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's a challenge to write an au I'm not well-versed with! But let's do this!</p><p>Happy Birthday Ross! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t forget the lines we gave you okay? And we’ll only take photos today, no videos, but there will be other people with smartphones there so watch your action the whole time,” Ahreum says for the third time that day.</p><p>Honestly, Jeno doesn’t know why he is still being reminded of these things. Memorizing a script and acting are his specialty. He’s 22 years old now and he’s been in the industry since he was four years old. </p><p>Still, there are only a few people who he can trust when it comes to his career and Doyoung and Ahreum takes care of him the most.</p><p>“Yes, noona, I got it,” he says as he leans on the back of his chair, wanting to nap even just a bit before they reach the orphanage. From the timetable he saw, they still have 30 minutes of travel time to Incheon. “Anything else?”</p><p>“Please smile just a bit more today, Jeno.”</p><p>He hears her words faintly, sleep taking over him. He simply nods and his manager seems to have accepted that as compliance and lets him rest.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Jeno gives himself an imaginary pat on the back for napping on the road. Charity appearances aren’t heavy on physical and emotional labor like what he experiences when he is filming, but socializing and keeping a smile on his face can drain Jeno’s energy.</p><p>It’s tiring even if he was only watching kids play the whole hour and replying to their questions. There were staff from his company to document the visit and some staff from the orphanage, gushing all the time around him. He dreads the next part of the schedule, which is feeding the children.</p><p>“We have another volunteer who will be helping you with the food. He is around your age so you’d get along well,” the head of the orphanage tells him as she leads him to the kitchen.</p><p>Jeno internally groans because he’s actually bad at getting along with people his age, unless they belong to the same industry as him. That is why he only has two friends in his life, one is a popular idol and another is an actor like him.</p><p>But he welcomes the help, especially when the task is to feed 30 toddlers.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Jeno hears the voice before he sees him. </p><p>He thought it would be a female volunteer helping him since the majority of the staff and other volunteers he met earlier were female.</p><p>So he was surprised to hear a deep, male voice from the other side of the kitchen. </p><p>The boy was wearing a bright orange shirt that clashes with the dark green apron he had on. He was also wearing a white kitchen hat on top of his light brown hair. The boy was wearing a white mask so the only part of his face that Jeno can really see was his eyes.</p><p>Just as Jeno began guessing in his mind how the volunteer would react to his presence, the boy had already approached him and caught him off guard. </p><p>“Hi! So you are my partner today?” the stranger says, his voice tinged with excitement. “I’m Jaemin. What’s your name?”</p><p>“You don’t know me?” Jeno asks. He cringes at his initial reply because he tries his best not to flaunt his popularity. But it’s been a long time since someone actually asks his name first.</p><p>Jaemin’s smiling eyes fall just a bit. “Oh I’m sorry. Have we met before? I haven’t been around for two weeks so I don’t really know the new volunteers here.”</p><p>Jeno shakes his head. “Ah no. I just thought someone would have told you my name already.”</p><p>Jaemin’s eyes widen. “Did Ms. Park say anything about me to you? I didn’t even know someone else was doing volunteer time today until I arrived. Whatever she said, I promise it’s an exaggeration.”</p><p>Jeno laughs a bit. He can’t help it when Jaemin rambles continuously. “No, nothing like that. Forget about it. I’m Jeno. What are we supposed to be doing now?”</p><p>Suddenly realizing they still have a lot to prepare, Jaemin waves to Jeno and instructs him how he can help. First, he made Jeno wear another deep green apron over his light blue button shirt. “The color of the apron actually looks better on you than me,” Jaemin says. He also made Jeno wear a chef’s hat and mask, explaining it’s for hygiene purposes. </p><p>They both wore plastic gloves and began preparing the food. Cutting some vegetables was easy because Jeno had played the role of a young chef before and it’s one of the things he learned for the role. They didn’t actually make him cook so he left the actual cooking to Jaemin who seemed to be enjoying it.</p><p>They worked quietly and efficiently that Jeno almost forgot they had people watching them until Jaemin whispers to his ear.</p><p>“Are you some kind of a celebrity or a son of someone powerful? Is that why there are people taking photos of you?”</p><p>Jeno is taken by surprise, both by the reminder that he is still being monitored and the proximity of Jaemin, someone he just met, to him. </p><p>“Ah yes. Something like that,” he answers faintly, trying to dodge the question.</p><p>“Which one? The celebrity one or the son of someone powerful?”</p><p>“I’m an actor,” Jeno says. </p><p>Jaemin nods. “That’s better I guess. So is this stint to clear your image or to boost your image?”</p><p>Jeno raises an eyebrow but answers “the second one.”</p><p>The other boy nods again. “I guess that’s still the better answer.”</p><p>“What would’ve been your reaction if I was a son of a politician or if I am here because I did something bad to clean my image?”</p><p>“If you were someone rich or powerful, I would’ve stayed far away from you. I don’t do well with people from privileged backgrounds,” Jaemin says as he places rice on the plates he finished arranging. “And if you are here because you did something bad, I would be stricter and meaner to you.”</p><p>Jeno wanted to question Jaemin more but the other boy instructed him to start bringing the plates to the dining room already.</p><p>It was a chaos after that as the children and grownups began filling up the room. But what shocked Jeno more is the lovely smile on Jaemin’s face after he removed his mask and hat. </p><p>“Nice work today, partner,” Jaemin says teasingly, a happy smile directed towards Jeno.</p><p>The thing is, Jeno is used to seeing beautiful people. It’s part of his job and the world he lives in, so he is a bit desensitized already with physical beauty. And yet he is caught in surprise by the initial effect Jaemin’s smile had on him.</p><p>Maybe it was because he was not expecting the boy under the mask to be attractive. Even with an uncombed hair due to the kitchen hat and despite sweating from handling the food and the children simultaneously, Jaemin looked fresh and his almond shaped eyes were shining with happiness.</p><p>Jeno shakes his head, trying to suppress the sudden attraction over a stranger he’d never see again. It’s the novelty, he tells himself, after being immersed in the glitz and glamor of show business.   </p><p>Jeno focused on finishing his final task that day, which is to feed the children. Thirty hungry children were really chaotic but Jeno saw how Jaemin handled them all quite well. For his part, it’s mostly just making sure no one was choking on the food so he knows he wasn’t really that big of a help.</p><p>**</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t figure you out. Maybe it’s because you’re an actor so I don’t know if everything you are doing is just part of an act,” Jaemin says out of nowhere as they wash the dishes. They are on their last pile now and have only been talking about mundane things, mostly about the children and the orphanage. </p><p>Jeno wants to feel offended because he thought he was being sincere the whole time but it’s a common reaction.</p><p>“I guess that’s a common stereotype I can’t easily dismiss,” Jeno says with a shrug. “It comes with the job. Don’t let it bother you too much because I won’t defend or explain myself anyway.”</p><p>Jaemin nods and pouts a bit.</p><p>“No, it’s not just that. I’m just deciding if the people who know the real you are lucky or this side of you is the better one.”</p><p>Maybe Jeno should really be offended by now. </p><p>“Still trying to guess if I’m a bad person or a good person?” he asks, as he removes the gloves and apron he is wearing. His attraction towards Jaemin is rapidly decreasing now.</p><p>Jaemin does the same and faces him. Jeno flusters at the sudden attention. He is used to people looking at him but not many people, especially someone he just met a few hours ago and as attractive as Jaemin, looks at him directly in the eyes.</p><p>“Not good or bad. Just if you’re a happy person or not. But like you said, I shouldn’t bother too much. We’re not going to meet each other again anyway right?”</p><p>“What makes you so sure I’m not coming back here?” Jeno asks, looking away. He fixes his hair and walks a bit to get some space from Jaemin.</p><p>“People with clean images only do this publicity stunt once then they either change charity work or completely forget about it because they don’t really need it. You look like you are the busy type of an actor so I don’t think you’ll be back here anytime soon,” Jaemin says.</p><p>Jeno keeps quiet for a minute. Something compelled him to move closer to Jaemin again.</p><p>“It’s my first time to actually do this. I didn’t expect to enjoy it that much.”</p><p>“You enjoyed it?” Jaemin says, a bright smile taking over his face again. “Even when the kids pulled your hair and one spitted on your hand?”</p><p>“It was still fun,” Jeno says, finding himself admiring again the pretty smile of the boy in front of him.</p><p>Jaemin looks at Jeno pensively. “I really can’t figure you out.”</p><p>“I can’t figure you out too,” Jeno says in defense.</p><p>This time Jaemin laughs. “We’ve only known each other for two hours. It’s silly to try to figure each other out. Anyway, nice meeting you, Jeno. I will try to catch some of your work and if I like them I will ask for your autograph in case we meet again in the future.”</p><p>Jeno laughs too. Jaemin’s comment is like a breath of fresh air to his life that is becoming monotonous and burdensome.</p><p>Later in the car, Ahreum tells him that he did well today.</p><p>“You smiled a lot too. It looked really well in the photos,” she adds.</p><p>Jeno simply shrugs. He’s a professional. He knows the right words to say at the right time, the right action to complement the words he speaks. That is all part of his craft. But the smile part, his partner today really helped a lot. </p><p>Jeno wonders if he’d meet Jaemin again. Probably not anymore since Jeno would be very busy with his new movie soon. They didn’t exchange contact numbers and Incheon is hours away from Seoul. Jeno isn’t even sure if Jaemin lives in Incheon. But he shelves today as a good experience. Maybe, in the future, he can use the memory to act in a similar scene.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>[ENTER-TALK] What do you think of Lee Jeno?</p>
<p>It’s been awhile since actor Lee Jeno has appeared in movies. He is always usually busy so I find this a bit unusual.<br/>What is your favorite role of Jeno? My favorite was the handsome modern-day prince from the movie Runaway Princess. But I think he is most popular for his role as Yoo Seunho in Letters to Mary. </p>
<p>I thought he was transitioning to dramas but he turned down that big budget drama from KBS. I just miss seeing him. He was a special MC in Music Bank for a few months but he stopped doing it too. Maybe he is preparing for a big role? I wonder what he is up to these days.</p>
<p>                                                                                                                post response:<br/>                                                                                                               [+2,009, -802]</p>
<p>1. [+1,528, -932] Why are there so many speculations? Is taking a break from work wrong? If he is involved in something bad, we should have heard about it already. I am just looking forward to what he will be working on next. He is a promising actor. </p>
<p>2. [+372, -1,828] Maybe he doesn’t want to be an actor anymore ㅋㅋㅋ I feel like I see him everywhere though. He has a lot of cfs and he appears in variety shows often. But his personality is really...bland. So I think he is not enjoying being a celebrity anymore. </p>
<p>3. [+261, -1,103] But there really isn’t anything outstanding of his recent works? He was a good child actor but all his recent works...are just forgettable. It’s like he was just portraying his usual self but in different clothes.</p>
<p>4. [+637, -224] Lee Jeno is a decent actor but nothing outstanding. But there is potential and maybe he just needs a good role. This is not a hate comment. I sincerely wish he will land a good role and charm us all again.</p>
<p>5. [+2,987, -319] My friends talked about this too ㅠㅠㅠㅠ My favorite is Yoo Seunho too and even that name is a household name because Lee Jeno did so well portraying a boy who only had one person in his heart his whole life. We miss you, Jeno.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Jeno has a problem. He tries everyday to deny it but he can't completely say he's not affected by the comments of the netizens and press.</p>
<p>The reviews of his acting career are not completely dismissive and harsh. But no matter how many pretty words they use to cloak it -- the message is the same: Jeno has reached his peak already. </p>
<p>Jeno debuted as a child actor and he had always been continuously acting since then. He didn't even go through that awkward stage of transitioning from child to adult where there are no roles fit for him. Somehow, his company always managed to find a project for him. So he can't remember an age where he wasn’t under the limelight and where he wasn't receiving praises.</p>
<p>Until now. At the age of 22, when he’s supposed to just be reaching new career heights, he falls into a great slump.</p>
<p>At first, he thought it was the seasonal slow days in the industry. But as months passed, he couldn't find the spark in his work anymore. He doesn't know if he is simply affected by the negative reviews of his last acting piece or he is really giving up already. And he’s losing the will to improve.</p>
<p>He wants to make a life-changing movie and resurrect his passion for acting but his company is too keen on him building a bigger brand first as a multimedia celebrity so they put him in cfs, variety shows, even as a music show mc and everything else aside from acting. At some point, Jeno had even thought of early enlistment. </p>
<p>The slump is so hard the he, admittedly, got caught in attitude issues. The orphanage visit was an attempt of the company to fix his blunder of completely being aloof at a previous variety show appearance. He didn't want to be rude but he really felt tired during the whole shoot because his non-acting schedules were overpiling.</p>
<p>It wasn't a big mess but his clean slate is slowly being tarnished. Netizens and antis will hook on one mistake of a celebrity and forever drag it so his company wanted to clean it as fast as they could.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He was ready to give up. That is until he was offered what he thinks will be his make or break project.</p>
<p>“I want to do this, hyung,” he says as firmly as he can to his manager and closest friend, Doyoung.</p>
<p>“I’m not dissuading you because of the material but you need to explain it clearly to me why you want to do this particular project. You haven’t accepted any acting work in the past nine months. I need more ammunition to defend your choice to the management.”</p>
<p>“Hyung, you saw those projects. They were all repetitive of previous roles I’ve already done. Do I really need to play the same role of a clueless guy that is the object of affection of an equally clueless girl four times successively?”</p>
<p>“You really hated that role huh?” Doyoung says, his eyebrows frowning. </p>
<p>“I don’t hate it. The story still matters. But I can’t give justice to similar roles repetitively.”</p>
<p>“It’s easy work and easier to sell, Jeno. And the company wants that. But you kept telling us you want something more. And I know this is partly because of all the negative reviews which I’ve told you a hundred times not to read anymore but you are very stubborn.”</p>
<p>“There were good points…”</p>
<p>“No, you are just being too hard on yourself. But fine, I’ll allow it for your growth. Now why do you want to do this one? From what I read it’s still a usual story of a 20-something man working for his dreams.”</p>
<p>Doyoung scans through the script on the table. They received it two weeks ago and Jeno has read it thoroughly that some pages are creased already. The actor even penciled some thoughts on the margin. It’s been a while since Doyoung saw a script this perused by Jeno.</p>
<p>“I want to understand the character more. Please hyung, let me do this,” Jeno pleads again.</p>
<p>“Okay, I’ll try to talk to the management about accepting it,” Doyoung replies. The truth is, he cannot resist it when Jeno expresses this much passion for a project. He will have to convince the top management well for Jeno’s wish. “But one last thing, the main lead… he dances. Can you dance?”</p>
<p>“I’ve had lessons right? I think I can dance decently,” Jeno says, a smile breaking into his worried face. </p>
<p>“Okay. I guess we can ask help too from the other staff. I personally know the dance teacher of NCT and they are from our company too so I guess they can help. Just, be ready for longer practice hours and filming I guess.”</p>
<p>“I will do my best, hyung.”</p>
<p>“The director initially wanted to do an open casting,” Doyoung says, leafing through the script as he remembers the earlier meeting with the production company. “But the producer and scriptwriter both wanted you to do it.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Jeno asks. The material was really good, something he knows he’d want to watch too even if it’s not his movie. But finding out the director, who he will work closely with, didn’t initially like him adds pressure.</p>
<p>“They liked your performance in The Shining Days,” Doyoung says.</p>
<p>Jeno scoffs. “That was four years go.”</p>
<p>“Still, they think you have something that just needs unleashing.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Working on the movie Dancing High gave Jeno a new resolve. The script reading went well and director Doh even told him he had high expectations of Jeno.</p>
<p>It’s not until two weeks into the filming that Jeno realizes that it was not a compliment from the director but a challenge.</p>
<p>“Do you even understand what we are trying to do here?” director Doh asks, quietly but clearly not amused.</p>
<p>Jeno doesn’t usually experience this kind of difficulty in the past. But even he admits that he is not in his best shape, making his scenes look flat and unacceptable to the talented director.</p>
<p>Jeno wonders if all those months in hiatus and the slump has really deteriorated his acting skills. Surely, it did impact his confidence. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry. Let me try again. It was just hard to memorize the script and the choreography at the same time,” Jeno says. </p>
<p>Director Doh closes his eyes like he is trying to suppress his anger and Jeno is getting ready to be lashed out. Instead, the director says calmly, “I don’t need you to be a great dancer. We casted an actor, not a dancer. My problem is, there is nothing in your portrayal of the role that says you understand why he is dancing. Is this scene just a bunch of dance steps to you?”</p>
<p>That’s when it hits Jeno that he was just reverting to his usual, passive self -- the reason that got him in a slump in the first place. What is he not completely understanding from this role that he wanted so much to do?</p>
<p>“Let’s pack this up today. We will have a week break from filming starting tomorrow. I want you to read the whole script again, Jeno. If you want to throw lines with Jaehyun and Naeun again I think they will agree with it too. But study the material again first okay?” director Doh says.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The director's words keep playing on Jeno's head as Doyoung drives him home after the packed up the shoot. </p>
<p>"Do you want to go straight at home? Or is there any other place you want to go? I know you're not having a good time right now so maybe we can eat at your favorite restaurant," Doyoung suggests.</p>
<p>Jeno answers with a brief smile and shakes his head.</p>
<p>He was quiet again for another 10 minutes that Doyoung thought he was napping already.</p>
<p>"Hyung," Jeno suddenly says. "Where can I watch people dance?"</p>
<p>"In the dance studio?" Doyoung replies, confused with Jeno's question.</p>
<p>"No, not that kind of dancing. Something more carefree? Taeyong hyung mentioned it before that he used to dance on the streets before he was employed to dance professionally."</p>
<p>"Ah! That kind of dancing. You should ask Taeyong. I'm really not sure about that too."</p>
<p>Jeno was quiet for a while again, fumbling on his phone.</p>
<p>Doyoung decides to take a longer route back to Jeno's dorm, in case the boy decides to go somewhere else. </p>
<p>"Hyung, take me to Hongdae."</p>
<p>"What? Right now?" Doyoung asks.</p>
<p>"Taeyong hyung said now is the perfect time to go."</p>
<p>"But people might recognize you there. We need to check the location first."</p>
<p>"I'm going to be very careful, hyung. I'm just going to watch from a far. I  might not even find anyone dancing."</p>
<p>"Okay. But I'll go with you."</p>
<p>"Hyuuuung," Jeno whines. He knows Doyoung is powerless when he does this. </p>
<p>"Okay. I'll give you an hour. I'll stay in the car. But you need to be back in an hour."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Jeno didn't know what to expect in Hongdae. </p>
<p>He has passed by this area before but he hasn't really seen it at it's peak. </p>
<p>At five in the afternoon, Hongdae is alive.</p>
<p>There were a lot of people and the area where Doyoung dropped him was very busy. But it's a good thing because people won't notice him easily.</p>
<p>Jeno walks around, remembering the tips Taeyong gave him. </p>
<p>He sees a crowd forming around some performers. Jeno picked a good spot at the side, just close enough to see a group of four boys dancing.</p>
<p>The dancers were dancing fiercely, passionately. Then the music changed and another boy joined them and now they are dancing differently. A lot of stunts, a lot of laughter. The energy was really good.</p>
<p>Jeno reaches for phone to take a video, when a voice spoke beside him.</p>
<p>"Jeno? What are you doing here?"</p>
<p>Jeno panics. He can't bring attention to himself. He's alone and he won't know how to react to other people. </p>
<p>Then the person jumps in front of him and Jeno sees a familiar smile.</p>
<p>He doesn't know why he remembers but Jeno decides the person's smile is difficult to forget. </p>
<p>Before Jeno can reply, the boy speaks again.</p>
<p>"Oh! You probably don't remember me. We met two months ago? At the orphanage?" the boy says with a grin.</p>
<p>Jeno smiles back, feeling grateful for a friendly face in the crowd. "Of course I remember you. Jaemin right?"</p>
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